196 The Ottawa Naturalist. [January 



But how ? Two simple laboratory experiments reveal the facts : 

 (1) that given certain conditions, liquid will rise in a glass tube 

 through an osmotic membrane, which may represent a root fibre, 

 and (2) that colored liquid will rise in a cut stem placed with its 

 end in the liquid, and further that, in rising, it follows certain, 

 well defined passages. The child sees this before his eyes. It has 

 become a real fact in his consciousness. He has had a new ex- 

 perience. And these are only a few of the manv simple experi- 

 ments by which a realization of the working of Nature may be 

 brought home first hand to the pupil. 



With younger pupils, no doubt these broad and pleasant 

 stimuli which appeal to the aesthetic side of the child's nature must 

 be largely depended upon for development of sense activity. But 

 to the child whose years at school are limited, a practical knowledge 

 of those features of Nature with which his life-work will be most 

 closely connected is of many times the value. With this object in 

 view, the attention of the class was ditecteti towards the collection 

 and study of weeds and weed seeds, and the rusts, smuts, and 

 other parasitic growths which at times have proved so serious a 

 menace to agricultural success. To this work were appended brief 

 descriptions of the best methods of fighting these enemies of the 

 farmer. The collection of specimens of injurious insects and their 

 work, also placed the class in possessi<'n of much valuable infor- 

 mation regarding another element of danger to the farmer's crop. 



In the Manual Training tiepartment a successful attempt has 

 been made at the correlation of Nature Study and woodwork, card- 

 board work, drawing, design, color work, and modelling. In the 

 wood and cardboard work only such models have been selected as 

 would prove of practical value in the Nature work, as, plant labels 

 and garden stakes, spreading-boards, terraria, bird-houses, etc., in 

 wood, and seed-boxes, etc., in cardboard. In drawing, no pencils 

 were used, brushes taking their place. A beginning was made in 

 blob work and moss drawing- in ink. This was followed by color 

 work, the construction of charts, drawing of objects in colors, and 

 natural and conventional designing. Of this work perhaps the 

 most important feature was the drawing of natural objects in colors. 

 Anything — a bird, a butterfly, a twig — was selected and worked 

 out with a brush in its natural colors. Prol. Evans, who has 

 charge of the Manual Training department, advises the introduc- 

 tion of this work into even the lowest grades and its continuance 

 throughout the School. In this way it is hoped we may be able 

 to cut adrift from the conventional, expressionless drawi-^g work 

 of the past, and do something towards the development of those 

 artistic instincts which have hitherto been left dormant in the child. 

 Poets may be born, but artists must be developed. 



